While the entire offseason was centered around Dwight Howard‘s decision, Paul quietly re-committed himself to the Clippers organization, one that made sure he knew he was a priority.

The Clips made a rare trade involving a coach to bring in Doc Rivers to lead a team that’s been unable to make its way into the deepest part of the NBA playoffs, most recently falling short in the first round against the Memphis Grizzlies under then-head coach Vinny Del Negro after a record-setting 56-win regular season

But with Paul locked in and everyone in Clipper Nation ready to focus on basketball again, the business of winning is back to being the main focus.

Paul played in 70 games in 2012-13, averaging 16.9 points, 9.7 assists and 2.4 steals per game. He is now officially the face of a franchise that has been long-suffering and in need of a true identity. Paul’s signing leaves little doubt that the best team in Los Angeles isn’t wearing purple-and-gold as it stands today.

With other key pieces like J.J. Redick and Jared Dudley added who can space the floor, Paul should find more lanes for dribble penetration and return to the form that made him the undisputed top point guard in the league in an NBA full of talent at the position. Paul’s a special player, and at least one segment of the basketball-watching population in LA is rejoicing.

Michael C. Jones is the managing editor and founder of Sports Out West and a Southern California-based sports journalist. His credits include Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report, among many others. You can catch up with him on Twitter: @MikeJonesTweets.